Star Trek: Kaigun Force
by ijnfleetadmiral
Summary: Rated M to be safe. A new Sovereign class starship joins the fleet. And romance blooms between two of her officers...
1. Chapter 1 Captain's Musings

**Disclaimer:** These characters (with the exception of the _Zuikaku_ and her crew, which are owned by the author, who is willing to sell them to Paramount for a price (hint, hint!)) are the property of Paramount Pictures. In other words: I don't own them, I'm just borrowing them.

Basically, if you've seen it on TV or heard it on the radio, I don't own it.

**Category:** Romance / Humor / slight Action/Adventure

**Pairings:** Thomas/Price, slight Picard/Crusher, slight Riker/Troi, very slight Janeway/Chakotay

**Author's Request:** Be gentle on the destructive criticism...I'm an aspiring writer, and this is my first fanfic.

**Notes:** For reference, the _Sovereign_-class starships (the first four as near as I can gather, anyways) are as follows:

_U. S. S. Sovereign_ (NCC-73811)

_U. S. S. Ark Royal_ (NCC-75633)

_U. S. S. Kirov_ (NCC-78731)

_U. S. S. Enterprise_ (NCC-1701-E)

_U. S. S. Houston_ (NCC-13130)

_U. S. S. Zuikaku_ (NCC-32206)

_This fanfic is dedicated to the carrier H.I.J.M.S. Zuikaku, her aviators, her crew, and her skipper, the late Vice Admiral Takeo Kaizuka, who died with his ship on 25 October 1944. May they rest in peace._

**Star Trek: Kaigun Force**

**Chapter One - Captain's Musings**

Starship _U. S. S. Zuikaku_ (NCC-32206)

Observation Lounge

Captain Jethro "Jett" Thomas was bored. He'd come to despise the stuffy receptions that came with the commissioning of a new ship of the line. However, the fact that said vessel was his own ship made it all worthwhile. And the fact that said vessel was one of only six vessels in her class, and one of the four 'upgraded' versions, made her commissioning even better. For the starship _Zuikaku_ was no ordinary starship: she was the newest _Sovereign_-class starship.

The observation lounge was large, as were most of the public rooms on a starship of this size. In one direction were the expanse of viewports, which usually would look out at the stars streaking by at nearly warp 10, but now only looked out at the pylons of the construction spacedock. After glancing out the viewport for a brief period, Jett turned away, disappointed with the view. _'Soon'_, he thought, _'Soon that view will change.'_

He smiled as he walked over to the opposite bulkhead, which housed a large three-dimensional display case. In the case rested holos of the ship's two namesakes: the first starship _Zuikaku_, NCC-1746, a _Constitution_-class vessel that had long-since been scrapped. That first ship shared a similarity with the new one: both were sister ships of a starship _Enterprise_. But it was not the holos of that namesake that most attracted him, nor was it the holos of the first vessel to carry the name, a 20th-century Japanese aircraft carrier. It was the model of the latter vessel. The creation was 1/50th in scale, making it nearly seventeen feet in length. It was exquisitely detailed, and portrayed the vessel as she looked in her final days in service. As an amateur historian, he'd taken the time to find a company that made such creations and commissioned them to construct this artwork for his first command. The model rested in a shielded case, so as not to get damaged if the ship was in battle.

However, he knew that gazing at the beautiful model didn't hold a candle to gazing upon the real thing. He'd been several times to the museum that had been built around the final resting place of the original _Zuikaku_. The entire vessel was now housed in a secure facility that had been built over her grave in the mid-21st century, and her wreckage had been painstakingly preserved as she looked at the time of her discovery in the early 21st century off Cape Engano in the Philippines. Many other 20th century warships had been found in those waters and preserved in a similar manner. He'd enjoyed visiting every one of them. They looked beautiful...even in death.

Now, here he was, Starfleet's youngest and newest Captain at the age of only twenty-eight. _'Twenty-eight, hell'_, he thought to himself. _'I feel a hundred years older just from the stress of the past two weeks.'_ He let his gaze travel around the room, picking out two of his senior officers. There was Commander Solak, his 'Number One', the typical Vulcan, conversing with some of the Vulcan members of the ship's design team. Newly-promoted Lieutenant Commander Korth, his Security Chief, was only the second Klingon in Starfleet history. Right now, he was standing rigidly in a corner, looking ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Jett smiled as he noticed the similarities between Korth and Commander Worf, the Staff Security Officer aboard _Enterprise_...how alike they both were.

After the incident with Shinzon, _Enterprise_ had returned to Earth for an extensive refit. Then-Commander Thomas had been assigned as one of the officers to oversee the refit...not as an Engineer working with the designers, but as an officer to keep the command structure even. He'd met Captain Picard then, who was thoroughly impressed with him.

Now, one year later, he was attending the commissioning ceremonies of his own vessel. The _Enterprise_ was now serving as a flagship, as now-Admiral Jean-Luc Picard had adamantly refused to take a desk job. Captain William Riker had gladly stepped in as the new CO of _Enterprise_. Although, Jett remembered, there had been a fuss over Riker assuming the position, as he'd just lost the _Galaxy_-class starship _Titan_ in a freak accident, Admiral Picard had firmly stood behind his former 'Number One'. Now, the _Enterprise_ senior staff was pretty much the same as it had been when the ship was commissioned, save for the fact that some people held different positions, an example being the former First Officer was now the Captain, the Ship's Counselor shared the Captain's last name, and the Chief Medical Officer was also a Captain and shared the same last name as the Commanding Admiral.

Jett smiled as he saw Jean-Luc and Beverly Picard and William and Deanna Riker enter the observation lounge. The men watched their wives, both heavily pregnant, like hawks, ushering them to nearby chairs and hurrying to get them refreshments despite admonitions from both women that they were fine. He turned back to the model of the Japanese warship, gazing wistfully at it, and soon got lost in thought. _'There's probably a program of this ship on the holodeck'_, he thought. _'With a little luck I might just be able to - '_

He was jarred from his musings by a familiar authoritative voice.

"Captain Thomas. Enjoying the festivities?"

Jett turned, not at all surprised to see the person speaking to him.

"Admiral Picard, sir. Yes, I am enjoying myself. As much as a semi-anti-social person can at one of these functions."

Picard cautioned,

"Remember, as a Captain, you'll have to deal with more of these functions as time goes on."

Jett nodded.

"Yes sir, I realize that. I just hope that I find something out there to make the duties of the center seat all worthwhile."

Picard smiled, then leaned in conspiratorially.

"For your sake, I just hope it doesn't take you as long as it took me." He then spoke in a more conversational manner. "Anyway, I wanted to thank you personally for the beautiful model you gave to the _Enterprise_. The entire crew seems to like it."

Jett knew what Picard was referring to...the model of the Second World War-vintage aircraft carrier _Enterprise_, with the same scale and authenticity of the _Zuikaku_ model he'd had built for his own ship. He opened his mouth and was about to speak, but any reply he had died in his throat as he glanced toward the entrance.

She was the most exquisite creature he'd ever seen in his life, and the fact that she wore a Starfleet dress uniform only made it better. She stood about 5'6", and her hair was a dark brown, almost black, and was swept up into an attractive twist. She appeared human, but then Jett noticed her slightly-pointed ears. Picard saw whom he was looking at, smiled in the young woman's direction, and motioned her over.

When she stopped in front of them, Jett managed to get a better look at her facial features. Her skin was lightly tanned, and (from what Jett could see) the Starfleet dress uniform hid a body that would tempt a saint. Her eyes mirrored the color of her hair almost perfectly, and seemed to project every emotion that she kept hidden. He was still trying to find his voice, although his mind was going a mile a minute.

_'Dear Lord, she's exquisite!...Who is she?...Is she someone's wife?...Admiral Picard, if she's on your staff, you're the luckiest being alive, getting to work with her every day...'_ His thoughts were interrupted by Picard's introduction, and they brought his world to a crashing halt.

"Captain Jethro Thomas, allow me to introduce Lieutenant Commander Kalinara Price, your Second Officer."


	2. Chapter 2 NOT the 'Captain's Woman!

**Chapter Two - She's NOT the 'Captain's Woman'!**

Lieutenant Commander Kalinara Price was not one for attending celebrations. However, as she was third-in-command of the ship, she knew her presence was required. She'd met Commander Solak soon after coming on board, and was pleased to see that one of her two direct superiors was a Vulcan. No emotions meant no problems...no attachments. She was uncertain about the Captain, though; as she hadn't yet made his acquaintance, she didn't know what group to place him in. There was the "no need to fear" group (which all Vulcan crewmembers had been categorized in, as well as those crewmembers who were married and/or had families), then the "lovesick puppy" group (which consisted mainly of newly-minted Ensigns and the sixteen-year-old enlistees who got tongue-tied and stuttery at the mere sight of a beautiful young woman, no matter what her rank), or finally the "Mother may I" group (which was those crewmembers whom she thought would be prone to make lewd remarks and such about her behind her back, and who (off-duty) saw her nothing more than a sexual fantasy.

She'd grown to accept the countless appreciative looks that many of the male crewmembers bestowed upon her; she knew she was what they would consider, in old-Earth terms, a "looker", or, as she'd heard one crewmember put it, "extremely fine". Love was illogical; she'd decided long time ago...or so she kept telling herself over and over.

All that changed the moment she was introduced to Captain Jethro Thomas. He was maybe two or three years older than she, maybe six or seven inches taller, with brown hair and eyes the color of a storm-tossed sea. A flare of something she'd never felt before began in her abdomen, a warm, tingling sensation that spread into her chest and which seemed to make her heart beat faster...fascinating. She extended her right hand to her new Commanding Officer.

"Captain."

He took her hand delicately, as if he were treating a fragile piece of glass and he thought it might break, and shook it lightly, not like some of the other crewmembers of some of the other ships she'd served on, those who grasped her hand tightly in theirs and stroked the palm lewdly, all the while giving her gestures they thought were provocative, when she just termed them illogical and meaningless.

"Commander."

His voice sent a chill up her spine...not a chill of fear, a chill of something else. What it was, she had no clue, but whatever it was, it had been extremely...pleasant. His voice was soft, and had a certain accent to it; she was finally able to place it as that of the Southern United States.

For his part, just her saying that one word was enough to make Jett's knees weak. She looked like an angel, yet her voice spoke of calm, firm authority that he knew was not to be taken lightly. When he managed to regain control of his senses, she was staring at him, a human eyebrow raised in a Vulcan-like expression of 'this-human-is-behaving-in-a-highly-illogical-manner'. Before he could say anything, she spoke once more.

"If you'll excuse me, Admiral, Captains...I must return to my quarters and change. My bridge shift begins in twenty-three standard minutes."

Before Jett could say anything, she was gone. He turned to find Picard and also Captain Riker watching him. Picard's eyebrow was quirked, as if trying to determine Jett's reaction. Riker, on the other hand, had apparently already formulated his opinion of the situation, and was looking back and forth from Jett to the departing Kalinara with an ever-widening grin on his face.

Picard was about to say something when Beverly called his name and he rushed over to her. Both Jett and Riker watched, amused, as the normally stoic Admiral hovered over his pregnant wife like an anxious mother hen. Riker then turned away from the amusing scene and looked at Jett.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Jett turned, confused.

"Sir?"

Riker grinned.

"That you could know someone for five minutes - not even that, in your case - and end up so enraptured by them it's incredible."

Jett looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're referring to, sir."

Riker's grin became a full-blown smile and he laughed at Jett's response.

"Sure you don't, Captain...sure you don't."

Jett rolled his eyes in defeat.

"All right, fine. Of course I know what you're talking about! But what can I do? I'm the Captain, she's my Second Officer! If we started a relationship (which I doubt she'd even be interested in to begin with), people might start referring to her as 'the Captain's woman', and I refuse to allow that to happen."

Riker seemed to concede that point, until Jett heard him say,

"You said she probably wasn't interested in a relationship. Well, what if she was?"

Jett rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please...she's at least part Vulcan. I'm not xenophobic at all, but I want a relationship with a woman who'd at least let me see her emotions."

Riker grinned.

"That's where you're wrong. She's not Vulcan. 'Kalinara' is a _Romulan_ name."

With that, Riker walked off, leaving Jett with a lot to think about. He pondered over what Riker had said, and departed the reception as soon as command courtesy would allow, choosing to spend the rest of the evening in his spacious quarters thinking.

_'Would I want a relationship with a subordinate?'_ he asked himself, as he gazed out his viewports into the construction spacedock.

_'What choice do you have? It's not like anyone else on this ship wears four pips on their collar! You're the Captain...you have no equal on board!'_ a little voice in his head replied.

_'Then again, would you not want someone like her?'_ a second voice piped up.

_'Both of you shut up! I don't even know her!'_

_'But you'd like to know her...'_ both voices taunted him.

_'ARRRGH!'_ Defeated, Jett got up and walked into his bedroom to change for bed. _'No,'_ he decided. _'I'm not going to pursue a romantic entanglement with her. She's my Second Officer...no more, no less.'_

_'Suuurrre she is...'_

_'Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!!!'_

Jett flopped down on his bed and picked up a PADD with a 21st-century naval history book on it. It was one he'd been wanting to read for some time, but he'd never been able to find it in the database until now.

_'Shattered Sun: The Untold Stories of the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf,'_ Jett read to himself. _'This should calm my mind for a brief period.'_

With that thought, he immersed himself in the past, for he knew that sleep would be a long time coming this night.


	3. Chapter 3 Traffic Jam

**Chapter Three - Traffic Jam**

Three Weeks Later

The starship _Zuikaku_ cruised through Federation space at the leisurely speed of Warp Three. The orders had been simple for the first time out: test ship and crew while cataloging gaseous anomalies. They'd left spacedock with much fanfare, and were now returning to Earth for debriefing and final calibration of the ship's systems.

Jett Thomas sat in his chair on the bridge, legs crossed, staring out the viewscreen, watching the stars streak by. He was roused from his thoughts by the deep voice of Lieutenant Commander Korth.

"Sir, we have received a message from Starfleet Command. They request that we approach Earth on a vector of their designation."

"What?"

Jett rose from his seat and walked over to Korth's station, followed closely by Commander Solak. Sure enough, the message listed a certain vector for the _Zuikaku_ to slip into orbit. After reading it, he turned to Solak to get his reaction. As usual, the Vulcan maintained a stoic exterior, but his eyebrow was raised.

"Curious, Captain."

Jett nodded.

"I agree, Commander. What's happening on Earth that we don't know about?" He turned to the viewscreen once more. "Commander Price, how long until we reach Earth?"

Her voice, efficient as always, answered promptly. "Approximately forty-three minutes, Captain."

_'Dammit'_, Jett thought. _'That voice still sends chills up my spine.'_

"Would would be our ETA if we increased to Maximum Warp?"

After a brief moment, she replied,

"Eight minutes, twenty seconds, Captain."

Jett nodded. "Increase to Maximum Warp and come in on the designated trajectory...there's something going on and we need to get there as soon as possible."

Price nodded. "Aye, sir...increasing to Warp Nine-Point-Nine."

The scene that greeted _Zuikaku_ when she came out of warp was astonishing. A long line of starships of all different types, sizes, and classes were in orbit. Jett and several other crewmembers could only gape in astonishment. Commanders Solak and Price simply raised an eyebrow, although Jett was fairly sure that if either of them were human, they'd be gaping right along with the rest of the bridge crew.

"Good Lord...what is this, rush hour?"

Commander Solak spoke up.

"Captain, my initial identification scans show the following starships in orbit: _Gettysburg_, _Hood_, _Phoenix_, _Victory_, _Cumberland_, _Roosevelt_, _Leyte_, _Midway_, _Intrepid_, _Voyager_, _Repulse_, _Lexington_, _Akagi_, _Hornet_, _Sovereign_, _Ark Royal_, _Kirov_, _Houston_, and _Enterprise_."

Jett whistled.

"Talk about firepower...two _Excelsior_s, all six _Farragut_s, both _Intrepid_s, _Repulse_ and her three sister ships, and the five other _Sovereign_s. This isn't exactly a welcome-home party for us."

"It is planning for war," he heard Korth mutter happily under his breath.

Jett rolled his eyes at his Security Chief's eagerness for battle. Before he could say anything to Korth, the Klingon officer spoke again.

"Captain, message from Starfleet Command."

'_Already?'_ Jett thought. "Very well. On screen."

He regretted the words when the face of Fleet Admiral Alynna Nechayev appeared on the viewscreen. As usual, she wasted no time on pleasantries.

"Captain Thomas, you're to beam down to Starfleet Command immediately. Just you, no one else."

Before Jett could reply, the image winked out.

"Always a pleasure, Admiral. The trip home was lovely, thank you for asking." Jett muttered sarcastically, causing several crewmembers to choke back laughter. He stood up and turned to Commander Solak.

"You have the bridge, Commander."

Solak nodded as Jett headed into the turbolift. As he headed to Transporter Room 3 to beam down, Jett couldn't help but wonder as to why there were that many starships in orbit. As he stepped onto the pad and as the cool wave of the transporter enveloped him, he looked forward to receiving answers to the questions both he and his crew wanted to ask.


	4. Chapter 4 Calling All Captains

**Chapter Four - Calling All Captains**

Fleet Admiral Nechayev had chosen a large conference room for the meeting. As Jett felt the transporter beam vanish, he noticed several familiar faces. He saw Admiral Janeway standing with _Voyager_'s Captain Chakotay, while Admiral Picard stood near _Enterprise_'s Captain Riker. Fleet Admiral Nechayev, as usual, was standing near the podium as she watched the various captains still coming in.

As there would be twenty captains in all attending this meeting, seats were going fast. Jett took a seat near the back and tried to remain unnoticed, as despite the status of the ship he commanded, he was still probably the most junior captain in the room. When Admirals Picard and Janeway headed to join Nechayev, it looked like the meeting was about to start.

Nechayev opened the meeting.

"As I'm sure you all know, the Romulan government is interested in talking with the Federation. However, several factions in their fleet are not. These Romulan admirals have taken it upon themselves to attack several Federation outposts along the Neutral Zone. From latest Starfleet Intelligence briefings, we've gathered that their fleets contain scout ships, Warbirds, and even a few Novas. And, unfortunately, there are rumors that the renegades also have a few captured Reman warships in their arsenal as well."

Excited murmurs permeated the room. Nechayev paused a moment, then continued.

"The ships assembled here today will be divided into three task forces, one under my direct command aboard the _Sovereign_, another under Admiral Janeway aboard the _Voyager_, and a third under Admiral Picard aboard the _Enterprise_. Under consent of the Romulan government, they will go inside the Neutral Zone in pursuit of the renegades, hunt them down, and bring them to justice."

At that, Jett raised his hand. Nechayev reluctantly acknowledged him.

"Yes, Captain Thomas?"

"Forgive me for interrupting, Admiral, but I just wanted to clarify something. When you say 'Reman warships', does that in any way mean another _Scimitar_? I read Admiral Picard's action report on how heavily-armed a ship like that is."

At that every eye in the room went to Nechayev, who paused a moment before continuing.

"Captains, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. The _Scimitar_ was a one-time threat."

Jett immediately fired back, much to the surprise of everyone in the room, including himself.

"With all due respect, ma'am: Suppose it isn't? What if there are more of those things out there? If something like that could do that much damage to a _Sovereign_-class vessel, if a _Farragut_ or _Repulse_, and especially an older _Excelsior_ encounters one...no offense meant to the commanders of those vessels, but they don't stand a chance."

No one appeared to take offense; the captains of those vessels Jett had mentioned were nervously looking at each other and at Nechayev, knowing Jett was quite correct. However, Nechayev simply replied,

"Captains, I reiterate that the _Scimitar_ was a one-time threat. She has no sister ships, and there are no vessels like her in the renegade arsenal."

Silence pervaded the room. Most captains were still glancing nervously at one another. Jett simply sat down again, fixing Nechayev with a look that said, _'You don't know for sure, do you?'_. Nechayev saw the look, but chose to ignore it and continue with the meeting.

"Captains, you each have seventy-two hours to prepare your ships. Those ships in my personal task force are as follows: _Sovereign_, _Kirov_, _Repulse_, _Cumberland_, _Victory_, and _Phoenix_. Admiral Janeway's: _Voyager_, _Intrepid_, _Ark Royal_, _Houston_, _Leyte_, _Roosevelt_, _Hood_, and _Gettysburg_. Admiral Picard's: _Enterprise_, _Zuikaku_, _Hornet_, _Akagi_, _Lexington_, and _Midway_." Jett exhaled in relief upon finding out _Zuikaku_ was under Picard's command. _'Thank God we weren't picked by Nechayev,'_ he thought to himself.

After this announcement, the meeting broke up. Admiral Picard left with Admiral Janeway and Fleet Admiral Nechayev after telling the captains in his task force there would be a meeting on board the _Enterprise_ the next day.

After the meeting, Captain Riker came over to him.

"That took some guts...standing up to Nechayev like that. She didn't like it, that's for sure. I don't think I've ever seen someone make her squirm as much as you did."

Jett shook his head.

"I was just trying to get my facts straight before I led my crew on the mission. But between you and me, I don't think she knows for certain if there's only one _Scimitar_-class vessel."

Riker nodded.

"I saw her eyes too...she doesn't know for sure."

Jett shook his head.

"And that lack of information may well cost us quite a few lives."

Riker nodded, then clapped Jett on the shoulder and departed for the _Enterprise_. Since he'd not received instructions to the contrary, Jett decided to release a portion of _Zuikaku_'s crew for a short leave. As he left the conference room, he tapped his comm badge.

"Thomas to _Zuikaku_."

The answer came almost immediately.

"Solak here."

"Have the senior staff meet me in the conference room. Start rotating the crew out on leave; eight-hour increments. I'll be back aboard momentarily. Thomas out."

"Yes, Captain."

Jett returned to the _Zuikaku_ to find groups of people waiting in and just outside the transporter rooms. He nodded to the transporter chief as he stepped down from the platform, and headed for the bridge.

Upon reaching the conference room, he found his seven senior officers waiting for him. He took a seat at the head of the table, and spoke.

"None of you would believe the meeting I just attended. We've been assigned as part of a task force under direct command of Admiral Picard aboard _Enterprise_ to patrol a sector of the Neutral Zone. We're to hunt down and confront a fleet of renegade Romulan vessels intent on stopping peace talks between the Empire and the Federation."

The looks upon the faces of his officers were priceless. Solak and Price simply raised an eyebrow. The faces of his Counselor, the Chief Medical Officer, and the Chief Engineer were ones of astonishment. Korth's eyes held anticipation for the coming battle. After conferring with his officers, Jett relased them for shore leave as well, telling them to take it while they could, and informing Commander Solak that he himself was heading down to the planet for eight hours.


	5. Chapter 5 The Crane's Spirit: Part 1

**Chapter Five - The Crane's Spirit: Part One**

Jett stood on the upper observation level of the _Zuikaku_ Museum, gazing at the ancestor of his ship. The great carrier had been found in 3,500 feet of water back in the early 21st century, and preservation had started by 2010.

The _Shokaku_-class fleet aircraft carrier, the longest-surviving carrier to strike Pearl Harbor, was in one piece, sitting on the sea floor with a twenty-degree port list. Her antiaircraft guns were still raised skywards, ready to futiley attempt to fend off the attacks that mortally wounded her in October 1944. In Jett's eyes, she was still a beautiful ship, despite the damage she'd suffered in her final battle.

Although it was after 0200 hours in the Philippines, the museum was kept open around the clock. As there were fewer visitors in the late-night hours, the museum maintenance staff usually took this opportunity to perform maintenance on the carrier's remains. Repulsor lifts held men up as they checked the massive hull for any possible deterioration. Jett had already been here for two hours, but as usual, he couldn't bring himself to leave her just yet.

"Captain."

The voice jarred him from his thoughts. He turned to see Lieutenant Commander Price standing near him at the railing, looking down on the preservation checkup going on. He was surprised to see her here, and even more surprised to see her out of uniform.

She was dressed in a simple tunic and leggings, and her hair was styled in the same way it was when she was in uniform, but to Jett she'd never looked more beautiful. The emotions he'd forced down until they'd become dormant now resurfaced full force, and he silently thanked God that Price wasn't Betazoid.

_'If she had any telepathic qualities, the emotions I'm projecting right now would send her running away screaming,'_ he thought. Instead he turned to her with a slight smile.

"Commander Price. I'm surprised to see you here."

She rose an eyebrow.

"I have done research on the name _Zuikaku_, and discovered that this ancient warship was the original namesake for our vessel. My research would not be complete without a visit to this museum."

Jett nodded in understanding a silence once more took over. He groaned silently when one of the little voices in his head made an appearance.

_'Ask her about her family...you know you want to. Who knows, maybe she'll open up to you.'_

Rather than argue with the voice, Jett decided to take a chance.

"Are you going to visit your family while on leave?"

"I have just come from doing so. Unfortunately, they were preparing to leave for a dinner engagement, so I was unable to spend as much time with them as I had planned. I have promised to visit them again when we return from this mission."

He expected her to resume her silence, but she surprised him.

"And yourself, Captain?"

Jett thought she was just being polite in asking about his family in return, but when he glanced at her face, he saw sincere interest in the beautiful deep brown eyes.

"This is where I usually spend most of my leaves. My parents are dead, and I have no siblings, so I spend most of my shore leaves touring museums and visiting historical sites around the planet."

She tensed at his response.

"My apologies, Captain. I did not mean to bring up an uncomfortable subject."

"None necessary, Commander. I don't feel any discomfort in talking about my parents. It happened back when I was a Lieutenant, so I've dealt with it and moved on."

She nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer. They stood side-by-side, gazing at the wreckage, neither saying a word, when a man approached them.

"Sorry to bother you, sir, ma'am, but sir, I couldn't help noticing your Starfleet uniform."

The two officers turned to face a medium-height balding man dressed in a suit. Jett decided to humor the man.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name, sir."

"Hal Sivron, curator of the _Zuikaku_ Museum." He paused briefly and glanced at Jett more closely. "I've seen you here before...you spend quite a bit of time here."

Jett smiled.

"I study Second World War naval history as a hobby. I go to all the museums around the world whenever I'm on leave, but this one and a few others hold a special significance for me."

Sivron nodded as Jett continued.

"Now, what interested you about my Starfleet uniform? It's just the standard uniform for a Captain."

Sivron nodded.

"Oh, I know that. I was just wondering if you knew that Starfleet has chosen the name _Zuikaku_ to bestow upon one of its newest starships?"

Jett was stunned to see Kalinara attempt to hide a smile. He was struggling himself.

"Yes, I've heard about it...the name's been given to a _Sovereign_-class starship. She's a sister ship of the _Enterprise_."

Sivron's eyes lit up.

"A _Sovereign_-class! Wonderful! I've been trying to get some information on the new ship, but no luck until I met you. What's your name?"

Jett grinned.

"Captain Jethro Thomas, Captain of the _Zuikaku_. This is Lieutenant Commander Price, my Second Officer."

Sivron's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"What an honor! I never expected to be talking to the _Zuikaku_'s captain! And you have your Second Officer with you! Please, both of you, come with me...this isn't where you deserve to look at the ship!"

He walked off, motioning for the two officers to follow, Kalinara regarding the departing curator with a raised eyebrow, as if she was unable to figure the man out.


	6. Chapter 6 The Crane's Spirit: Part 2

**Chapter Six - The Crane's Spirit: Part Two**

They followed Sivron to a door that reminded Jett of the doors that were on _Zuikaku_'s holodecks. They opened onto the floor of the exhibit itself. Jett was speechless as Sivron led them toward the wreck of the great ship, and out of the corner of his eye he could tell even Kalinara was impressed. He managed to regain his voice and speak to the curator.

"Sir, to my knowledge, visitors aren't allowed here."

Sivron smiled.

"Captain, you and Commander Price are special cases. You're crewmembers of the starship which bears this vessel's name. I can think of no one who deserves this honor more than you, or any other member of the starship's crew. I plan to extend this offer to any of your crew that visit this museum, so you two are just the first people to experience it."

Jett nodded as Sivron directed them to a repulsor lift resting near the bow of the vessel.

"Please, feel free to wander around the exhibit at your leisure. If you stay near the island, you can stand on the flight deck itself. However, if you choose to do this, please be extremely careful."

Jett nodded.

"Enjoy!" Sivron replied, and hurried off, leaving the two officers standing beside the repulsor lift. Not wanting to waste time, Jett stepped on and gestured for Kalinara to follow. She stepped aboard and Jett guided the repulsor lift upwards. When they reached the great gold chrysanthemum crest on the top of the bow, Jett halted the lift's ascent, and walked over to the crest. It gleamed in the flourescent lighting, having been polished to a shine by the current during 66 years of being underwater. He reached out and laid his hand on it, closing his eyes as he did so.

The emotion behind the simple connection was almost too much for him to bear, and two tears leaked out beneath his eyelids and coursed down his cheeks. Out of the corner of his eye, he'd noticed Kalinara watching him with a raised eyebrow, probably thinking his actions highly illogical. Not wanting her to see the tears, he turned his face toward the crest, wanting to savor the connection for as long as possible.

A light touch on his shoulder made him open his eyes and turn. Kalinara was standing beside him, concern evident in her lovely brown eyes. _'I could get lost in those eyes forever,'_ he thought to himself, _'and I wouldn't mind one bit.'_ He was jarred from his thoughts by the sound of her voice.

"Captain? Are you all right?"

He nodded.

"I'm fine, Commander...the emotion of the moment just hit me full-force, that's all."

She reached up and brushed the tears away, her deep brown eyes staring into his all the while.

Jethro Thomas forgot how to breathe.

She stared into his eyes a moment longer, then turned away and placed her own hand on the ship's crest as if nothing had happened. After a brief moment, her eyebrow arched and she took her hand away.

"I did not experience any emotional surges when I imitated your actions."

Jett only stared off into space, not believing that she'd felt nothing from their recent interaction. He felt as though he'd been struck by lightning. Nevertheless, he managed to push his reaction to the back of his mind and resume piloting the repulsor lift.

They went up over the bow and hovered over the midships portion of the flight deck before going over by the island, where they hovered just above the deck. Once again, Jett paused the lift and stepped off onto the ship itself.

The deck was surprisingly steady, although most of the wood planking was warped or long gone. He glanced in the direction of the island. The mast behind had broken off long ago, probably en route to the ocean floor, but when he closed his eyes he could see it in his mind's eye, the signal flags snapping in the breeze along with the Imperial Japanese Naval ensign and the Vice Admiral's and Rear Admiral's flags she'd flown on her final sortie.

Lost in his memories, he could almost hear the rattling of the fourteen triple-mount Type 96 25-millimeter antiaircraft guns and the pounding of the sixteen five-inch heavy antiaircraft guns, desperately trying to defend their ship against the fatal attack, even though they knew there was no chance of success. And if he looked hard enough, he could see hundreds of Japanese sailors standing on the slanting flight deck, their arms raised above their heads, shouting a last "_Banzai!_" as their great ship died around them...

While her Captain was lost in history, Kalinara took the time to compose herself. She wasn't surprised to find the Captain at the _Zuikaku_ Museum, but was surprised to have him confide in her. He'd told her about himself, had seemed almost eager to, and that was something that no man had ever done before.

He'd also asked about her family, something else that had never happened. None of her former captains had done this; they'd read about her family from her personnel record. This man seemed almost _interested_ in her, and she didn't mean in a professional manner, either.

She wasn't going to waste time denying it...Jett Thomas was a pleasing sight. Almost every female on the ship felt the same way. She'd heard comments about him in Ten-Forward, and snatches of conversations while passing through the corridors of the ship. But here, alone with him now, she felt herself wanting this time to go on indefinitely, even though she knew they had but a few hours before they had to return to the ship.

She could see it in his eyes...he was attracted to her, no doubt about that. But was it deeper than just physical attraction? She found herself wanting to drop the Vulcanesque exterior she'd managed to erect around herself, wanting to let him see the side of her that few people in the galaxy had ever seen: her human side. The side that smiled, the side that cried, the side that laughed, the side that loved. Only her family had ever seen that side of her, and that was only in private, away from Starfleet.

She found it hard to put up the exterior, even in public, when she was around her father. She wasn't supposed to act like she did, cold and unwilling to let anyone in, or at least that had been the opinion of most of the young men who'd seen her at functions she'd been forced to attend, either as a Starfleet officer or as one of the daughters of Fleet Admiral William Price, Director of Starfleet's Bureau of Tactical Development.

Her parents had tried to get her to be more outgoing, but she stayed at home, studying for the Starfleet Academy entrance exam, and after lying about her age and submitting her application soon after her fifteenth birthday, was asked to take them in San Francisco. She'd done so without her parents' knowledge; her father was out patrolling the Neutral Zone as captain of the starship _Wellington_ at the time, and her mother was quite used to seeing her eldest daughter leave without telling her where she was going, assuming she was heading to the library to study some more.

She took the exams, and passed with flying colors. Three nights before she was to report for the Academy, she left home and never returned. Her mother was frantic until Kalinara sent her a message, saying she was going to school in Sacramento and that she was excelling in all subjects. Dr. Amanda Price was apparently appeased by this, and let her daughter continue her schooling there as long as Kalinara called regularly. She even managed to convince her mother that the school's curriculum mandated that she'd have to stay a fifth year in order to graduate.

She graduated the day before the _Wellington_ was due to return. As she was packing her dorm room, she received a call from her mother, who was ecstatic that not only was her baby girl returning home, but her husband's ship had come home and Starfleet had promoted him to Rear Admiral. Kalinara promised to meet her parents at the reception for _Wellington_'s crew that evening.

When she arrived, the ceremony was about to begin. She stayed in the back throughout the speeches, the change-of-command ceremony, and her father's promotion ceremony. After the congratulations died down, she approached her family from behind and congratulated her father.

Her parents turned at the sound of her voice. The expressions on their faces at seeing their nineteen-year-old daughter wearing a Starfleet dress uniform, the single pip of an Ensign on her collar, were absolutely priceless. Kalinara simply held up her Starfleet Academy diploma and waited for the firestorm she knew was about to befall her. She was instead met with crushing hugs and congratulatory statements from both parents, and looks of awe from her two younger sisters. Her father never made mention to his superiors of the fact that his daughter had lied about her age and by all rights should only have been a second-year Cadet at the Academy.

Now here she was, seven years and three promotions later, third-in-command of the newest ship of the line and, (like most of the other women on the ship, although she didn't show it), hot for the Captain. It was in that space of time that she came to a decision: she wasn't going to join the ranks of women on board that swooned every time the Captain walked by. She was going to claim him for herself.

Jett was stirred from his reverie by a hand on his shoulder. To anyone else, it was a simple gesture, but to him, her hand on his shoulder was like a hot iron. He turned to face her, and was about to speak when he caught her eyes. They showed confusion, trepidation, determination, and hope. Before he could even begin to formulate what these emotions could mean, especially coming from her, it happened.

The kiss was like nothing either of them had ever experienced. On her part, the sensations that flowed through her were extremely pleasurable. She'd been kissed before, when she was fourteen. One of her fellow students had run up and kissed her before she'd had a chance to react. Her fellow classmates had thought it great fun...at least, they did until she she struck back with a Klingon defense move she'd learned for just such an occasion, one that caused great pain to one's assailant. In the end, she was suspended for three days and her assailant spent the next three standard weeks in the local hospital undergoing surgery to repair his severely-injured reproductive organ, followed by a lengthy recuperation period. From that point on, everyone gave her a wide berth.

This kiss was different. It was as though a warp core had exploded inside her chest and stomach. Fire coursed through her veins, urging her on, and she went with it.

On Jett's part, he'd died and gone to heaven. Her lips were soft and sweet, and were (in his opinion, anyway) extremely addictive. He knew he'd never get enough of her. He wrapped his arms about her waist, and she inhaled sharply at the contact, entwining her arms about his neck, pulling him even closer. She thrust her tongue into his mouth in response, and he growled low in his throat at her move. He decided to go one better, and trailed kisses down her neck, licking, sucking, and nipping as he did so. This time it was her turn to make noises, and he thought the husky purr that she made was the sexiest sound he'd ever heard.

It was agony for him to pull back slightly, and both regretted the loss of contact. He gazed into her eyes and found the chocolate orbs were almost black with barely-veiled desire. Her breathing was elevated, and there was an attractive flush on her neck and face.

For her, there was no mistaking it...he had eyes for her and for her only. He was within her grasp...in more ways than one. Jett, meanwhile, was at a loss for words. He nearly groaned in protest when she neatly extracted herself from his embrace and stepped back aboard the repulsor lift. His heart plunged to his stomach when she spoke.

"Captain? Are you ready to return to the ship, sir?"

_'How the hell did she manage that?'_ he asked himself. _'She's acting like absolutely nothing happened!'_

Dazed and heartbroken, he merely nodded and stepped aboard the lift. She piloted it to the museum floor again, then stepped off and turned to him again as she pulled out her comm badge and activated it.

"Price to _Zuikaku_: Two to beam directly to my quarters."

His reaction was swallowed by the cool wash of the transporter beam.


	7. Chapter 7 Inherited Traits

**Chapter Seven - Inherited Traits**

Jett stared up at the ceiling. It had been the most memorable four hours of his life. The effects of the transporter had barely faded before she'd thrown herself into his arms.

Their lovemaking had varied from slow and sensuous to extremely physical. She'd proven to him time and again that the rumors he'd heard were true...even part-Romulan women were almost insatiable in bed. For his part, he'd brought her to the edge time and again, but kept the release she so craved just out of reach. When he'd finally driven her to release, she'd let loose with a string of Romulan phrases that surprised both of them.

When the situation was reversed, she'd driven him crazy, eventually forcing him to remind her that making the Captain half out of his mind before an important mission wasn't very wise. When she stopped to consider this, he used the brief pause to take control of the situation, driving them on until they found simultaneous release. That time, she'd screamed loud enough that he was sure they'd heard it down in Engineering.

Now, after an incredible six times in four hours, he lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The bedding had been annihilated, the sheets were clammy with sweat, and he was sure half the ship knew what they'd been doing...not that he really cared at the moment.

Beside him, his insatiable lover stirred and ran her hand over his chest. He looked down and found a pair of beautiful dark brown eyes staring back at him. He smiled and kissed her, then wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and snuggled into his embrace as he planted a kiss in her hair and inhaled its heavenly scent. _'Odd,'_ he thought to himself. _'Doesn't smell like the Starfleet-issue shampoo. Smells like...like strawberries. I like it.'_ He let silence reign for a few more minutes, then spoke.

"Tell me about your family."

The tone of her voice seemed surprised, yet pleased, when she replied.

"My mother is a pediatrician. She is one of the top beings in her field of work. I have two younger sisters, Adriana and Marissa. Adriana is fifteen and hopes to follow in Mother's footsteps. Marissa is thirteen and hopes to follow my father and myself into Starfleet. My paternal grandmother lives with them, but unfortunately she has not been well the past few months." She paused before continuing nervously. "My father is Fleet Admiral William Price, Director of the Tactical Development Bureau for Starfleet Command."

"And would he approve of this? You getting involved in a passionate love affair with your Commanding Officer?"

She considered it a moment.

"I do not believe he would. But then again, I have never been one to seek his approval."

He listened as she told him of sneaking into Starfleet Academy at age fifteen. When she finished, she looked into his eyes for his reaction.

"My apologies. You probably think I am overzealous...wanting to give up the few remaining years of my childhood for an advance start on adult life."

He smiled at her with a tenderness that made her want to give up Starfleet just to be with him.

"On the contrary. I think you missed your father not being there when you were younger, so you rationalized that if he couldn't be close to you when you were growing up, then you'd be close to him now that you were older."

That statement melted her heart, and he was surprised to see tears well up in her chocolate orbs. When she spoke, her voice was slightly unsteady.

"I think it is best to change the subject. What about you, Captain? Do you have any hobbies?"

He rolled over and pinned her beneath him, using his arms as leverage to hold himself off her. She couldn't help the tears that spilled over onto her cheeks; he was looking at her like she was the most precious object in the galaxy.

"Yes," Jett smiled. "I do have one fascinating hobby, besides my love for naval history."

She arched her eyebrow.

"And that is?"

He smiled down at her.

"I take pleasure in great beauty."

She lost the battle to control her emotions and smiled at him. It was the most beautiful sight Jett had ever seen. The smile lit up her whole face and made her eyes sparkle.

For the second time since he'd known her, Jett forgot to breathe.

He was jarred back to reality by Kalinara reaching up and pulling his lips down to hers, and for a long time after that, he didn't think at all.

Alpha Shift was over by the time Jett and Kalinara's shore leave was up. Leaving Kalinara asleep with a kiss to her forehead, Jett used a site-to-site transport to return to his quarters, where he showered, brushed his teeth, and crawled into his own bed, exhausted but incredibly happy.

However, as he tossed and turned in the big bed, he found himself unable to sleep, despite how tired he was. Physically, he'd shut down for the night long ago, but emotionally his brain was going at Warp Five and then some, reliving the past few hours with precision detail over and over again. _'Ten times in one night,'_ he thought to himself. _'That's got to be some kind of record.'_

Jett was about to get up and order a glass of hot cocoa to help himself sleep, when Kalinara beamed into his quarters. She turned toward his bed when the transporter effects had vanished.

She looked like an angel. Her hair was down and fell just past her shoulders in a dark silken curtain. The coral satin nightgown she wore complimented her tanned skin perfectly.

Jett was having the forgetting-to-breathe problem again.

She rose an eyebrow.

"You left without saying goodbye. When I woke up and realized you were gone, I found myself unable to sleep."

Jett lifted the blankets and patted the mattress.

"Come to bed, Angel."

He was rewarded with her heartstopping smile. She slipped in next to him and curled up in his arms.

"Think you'll be able to sleep now?" he asked her. Her response was a murmur of content.

"Good night, Kali."

Upon hearing his nickname for her, she turned to face him.

"What did you refer to me as?"

"'Kali'. I shortened your name as a term of endearment. However, 'Kalinara' is such a beautiful name, I'll find it difficult to stop using it altogether."

She smiled tenderly at him.

"No...please. I find the nickname 'Kali' pleasing. Use whichever you prefer."

He smiled back.

"I'll probably only use 'Kali' when we're alone. Be my luck I'd slip up and use it on the bridge when Nechayev's making a surprise inspection in a bad mood."

At that, Kalinara giggled. "When is she not in a bad mood?"

He looked at her in surprise.

"Why, Commander Price, did I just hear you _giggle_?"

Kalinara smiled coyly at him.

"No..."

"Yes, I believe I did. Wonder what I could do to make you do it again?"

Kalinara immediately tried to cover it up.

"Nothing, Captain. It just slipped out."

He ignored her attempts to placate him.

"Are you ticklish, Kali?"

"No." She answered too quickly for Jett to believe her.

"I don't believe you, Angel. Now, where might you be ticklish?"

Kalinara tried to keep the mischievous smile off her face, but failed miserably. He tickled her ribs, and she squealed...she actually _squealed_, dissolving into giggles. Jett burst out laughing right along with her.

"Well, Commander, looks like I found out you are ticklish, after all..._extremely_ ticklish."

She stopped giggling and cast heavy-lidded eyes at him.

"I can make you forget that information, Captain."

As much as Jett wanted to take her up on that generous offer, his body refused to rise to the challenge. He stroked her cheek tenderly and kissed the tip of her nose, making her giggle.

"As much as I'd love to do that, I'm too tired. I think we wore each other out earlier. Let's build some strength for tomorrow."

She apparently realized how tired she herself was, and nodded sleepily. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back in a circling motion.

"Sleep now, Angel. And I'll store the information about you being ticklish away for another time."

She giggled sleepily, and purred in response to the circular rubbing on her back.

"Good night, Jett."

"Sleep sweet, Kali."

With that, the _Zuikaku_'s Captain and Second Officer fell asleep in each other's arms.


	8. Chapter 8 Fight Night

**Chapter Eight - Fight Night**

One month later, the _Zuikaku_ cruised through the Neutral Zone. Admiral Picard had spread his task force out over a general line, and Admiral Janeway and Fleet Admiral Nechayev had done the same.

Three days into the mission, Jett and Kalinara had given up trying to sleep alone. Every night, Kalinara beamed into his quarters and crawled into bed next to him. On Jett's part, it was getting harder and harder to not gaze at the Second Officer's back while on the bridge and slip into a myriad of erotic fantasies. For Kalinara, it was getting harder and harder not to fall in love with the Captain.

Jett had eventually told Kalinara his problem about hardly being able to look at her without his thoughts getting out of hand, and they'd both laughed over it. She decided to help him out and reserved some holodeck time. He was pleasantly surprised when she asked him to join her that night, and when he arrived, he found the privacy lock engaged as soon as the doors shut behind him. The holodeck program running was one of the _Zuikaku_'s bridge. Before he could even begin to ask why she'd chosen this program, she spoke from the captain's chair, and he turned to find her sitting there wearing nothing but her captivating smile. It had been the most incredible sexual experience of his life. For almost the entire following week, it was all he could do not to blush when he arrived on the bridge in the mornings.

After the bridge adventure, her ideas for "holodeck trysts" got even more varied: Main Engineering, Sickbay, and Stellar Cartography were just some of the various places. The most daring they got was foregoing the holodeck and sneaking onto the Captain's yacht that was attached to the underside of the saucer. Eventually, they ran out of places, and good thing, too, as both were exhausted. But neither of them could ever remember feeling this happy.

But the best part wasn't the incredible sex. It was realizing they had many of the same common interests as well. Kalinara was surprised when Jett presented her with a candlelight dinner in his quarters on their 1-week anniversary.

During the meal, they learned more about each other. Jett learned that Kalinara's maternal grandmother had been half-Romulan, which was where she got her slightly-pointed ears from. That same night, he learned that those slight points on her ears were one of her highest erogenous zones.

Kalinara learned that Jett was highly interested in old Earth military history. His great (x5) grandfather had been a Confederate Brigadier General in Earth's 19th-century Civil War, which was something he was very proud of.

They learned that they both liked many of the same things, such as a passion for old-Earth music of the late 20th- and early 21st-centuries. Kalinara's taste seemed to lean more towards something that was known as "pop", and Jett's more towards something called "rap", but they found out they both liked something known as "country".

They continued learning more about one another, and for their 2-week anniversary, Kalinara surprised Jett by presenting him with an authentic replica of a Confederate battle flag to hang in his quarters. It was framed along with a picture of his relative in uniform and a set of Confederate General Officer collar insignia on either side, and on the frame was a gold plaque with the following words etched in it:

_Hiram Thomas_

_ Brigadier General, Army of the Confederacy_

_ (1836 - 1928)_

He was silent for a long time, just staring at the gift. She feared she'd gone overboard, and attempted to explain.

"Captain, if this was too much, I - "

He cut her off with a kiss that made her toes curl, and the kiss continued as he swung her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom to thank her properly.

This particular night, Jett was showing Kalinara another of his interests: the old-Earth sport of professional wrestling. Tonight, they were going to see a variant of one of the weekly shows that had been popular in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

Outside the holodeck, they met up with Lieutenant Commander Korth and the Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Jackson, who had also expressed interest in attending. Upon seeing them, neither Korth nor Jackson even commented about Kalinara being with Jett. When they entered the holodeck, Jett gazed in awe at the famous arena that was set up before them. They took their seats in the front row and waited for the show to begin. Jett took time to explain to Korth what the concept was, and from the look on Korth's face, he knew the Security Chief was going to enjoy the show.

"So it is nothing but fighting?" Korth asked.

"Correct, Commander. They have men's matches and women's matches."

At that Korth appeared to balk.

"_Women's_ matches?"

Jett smiled.

"Just watch and see, Commander, before you form an opinion."

Korth appeared to consider that for a brief moment, then nodded.

When the music began, the crowd leapt to its feet and began cheering wildly. Jett followed them, as did Jackson, who was simply caught up in the momentum of the crowd. Kalinara rose to her feet as well, in support of the Captain, while Korth stayed seated, contemplating what Jett had just said to him.

No sooner had the commentators finished welcoming the audience, than a set of entrance music began. The majority of the arena leapt to its feet as one of the bad guys (or 'heels', as Jett explained to his his officers) strolled down to the ring.

Jett gauged the expressions of his fellow crewmembers. Kalinara was regarding the wrestler with a raised eyebrow, while Jackson was booing along with the rest of the audience at whatever drivel was coming out of the man's mouth. Korth's face was neutral.

As usual, the wrestler was boasting about the effectiveness of his signature move, and of how it couldn't be beaten by anyone. He then offered a large sum of money to anyone from the audience who wanted to try and break it. Before anyone else could speak up, a familiar voice boomed from beside Jett

"HUMAN!"

Startled, the wrestler and the rest of the audience turned to find an irate Klingon standing on his chair. The _Zuikaku_'s officers could only stare at Korth, who was glowering at the wrestler with an expression of disgust. Seeing that he had the wrestler's attention, Korth continued.

"I accept your challenge!"

The wrestler looked at Korth and laughed, only increasing the Klingon's anger.

"All right, Freakazoid...come on up here."

Korth easily vaulted over the railing between the ring and the audience, then climbed into the ring. The wrestler gestured to a chair placed in the middle, and Korth sat down. The wrestler prepared to apply his signature move, then announced to Korth and the audience.

"All right, Freakazoid, on the count of three, we go, got it?"

Korth nodded.

"I am prepared."

"One...two...three!"

The difference between the brute strength of humans and Klingons is vast, and the wrestler was about to find that out...the hard way.

The signature move was applied. Korth shot out of his seat, dragging a somewhat surprised wrestler with him. Korth brought his arms down, and the wrestler's hands parted like the Red Sea. Korth then turned to the wrestler with murder in his eyes. The wrestler's eyes were wide as dinner plates.

He quickly recovered, however, and nailed Korth with several punches that would've floored a normal man, but Korth shrugged them off like they were nothing. He returned with a punch of his own that put his opponent on the other side of the ring, and probably wondering how he got there.

The crowd went wild. Although Security usually moved in after this event, as this particular individual usually beat up his unconscious opponent a little, there was no need for them this time. Anyone could see that this was one opponent who could hold his own. After recovering, the wrestler ran at Korth again, but Korth intercepted him, picked him up by the throat, and slammed him one-handed to the mat in a thunderous _bang!_. The wrestler looked more than just dazed by that one.

However, Korth still wasn't finished. He picked the wrestler up one-handed once more, and stomped over to the ropes. The wrestler had a look on his face that plainly said _'Please help me...'_ Korth screamed a Klingon death cry directly into his opponent's face, then picked him up over his head and threw him at least _four_ _feet_ away into the steel ramp that led down to the arena from the back. The wrestler hit with a sickening _crash!_ and didn't move again. There was dead silence.

Seeing that his opponent was definitely down for the night, Korth stomped into center ring once again, looked at the ceiling, and roared a Klingon victory cry. After it died away, the crowd stared at him for a few minutes, in awe at what they'd just witnessed, before going wild once more.

Jackson was on his feet, going wild with the rest of the crowd, while Jett and Kalinara sat stunned. As usual, Kalinara expressed no more than a raised eyebrow, but Jett's jaw was on the floor. He managed to recover as Korth stomped back to his seat. He turned to Korth and was about to speak when the Security Chief addressed all three of them.

"My...apologies. I did not mean to ruin your evening."

Jett replied,

"On the contrary, Commander...I think this was probably the highlight. Computer, please make a recording of Commander Korth's previous actions on the holodeck tonight and save."

_'Program saved.'_

Jett grinned.

"With your permission, Commander, I think the entire crew should see that performance."

Korth considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"Aye, sir."

The four officers settled into their seats once more and listened as another set of entrance music began. This set was well-known and everyone leapt to their feet as one of the female wrestlers walked out. Jett nudged Korth.

"_That's_ why I told you to wait before forming an opinion on there being women's matches."

Korth stared, transfixed, before speaking reverently.

"She is a warrior..."

He growled deep in his throat, which made Jett look at him warily.

The match went as expected, the female wrestler defeating her opponent easily. Jett kept an eye on Korth throughout the match, and waited to see what would happen when the female wrestler won. He wasn't disappointed. As she headed backstage again, Korth let out another Klingon cry, vaulted over the barrier once more, and headed after her. Korth got to her before she even saw him, hoisted her over his shoulder, and carried her backstage, kicking and screaming. The audience loved it.

Jackson rolled on the floor laughing, while Jett stared after his Security Chief. Recovering from his astonishment, he turned to find Kalinara regarding the situation with a raised eyebrow.

"Thoughts, Commander?"

Kalinara replied with a voice that said she was barely controlling the impulse to burst out laughing right along with Jackson.

"Captain, the last cry Commander Korth uttered is commonly used when Klingons are courting potential mates."

Jackson heard that, and laughed even harder. Jett rolled his eyes and thought of what might very well be going on backstage. However, rather than end the evening prematurely, he decided to let the program continue. Moments like this were few and far between.

**Author's Note:** If you're a wrestling fan and would like to know who Korth turned into hamburger and which 'female wrestler' Korth played cave-man with, send me an email and I'll tell you. :)


	9. Chapter 9 Mother Knows The Truth

**Chapter Nine - Mother Knows The Truth**

One Month Later

Admiral Picard's task force had returned to Earth for two weeks. Evidently the Romulans had decided to give their hit-and-run attacks a rest for awhile, thus allowing one task force an opportunity to head home for Sector 001. Despite protests from Admiral Picard, his command staff, and every captain in his task force, Fleet Admiral Nechayev ordered them home to the Alpha Quadrant for a rest.

As soon as _Zuikaku_ was secure in her assigned berth in Spacedock, Jett released his crew and headed for his own quarters. From there he requested a site-to-site transport to Kalinara's quarters. As he felt the cool wash of the transporter envelop him, his nervousness mounted about asking Kalinara to spend her shore leave touring Japan with him.

When he materialized in her quarters, however, all thoughts of Japan vanished when he found her sitting motionless in front of her comm terminal, staring at nothing. He went over to her and laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Kali? What's wrong?"

Her voice was emotionless.

"My grandmother has died."

Jett knelt beside her chair.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head.

"Captain, there is nothing to be sorry about. She was elderly, and not in the best of health. It was inevitable."

Even as she spoke those words, her voice was shaky and her eyes betrayed the pain she was feeling. Jett reached up and stroked her cheek.

"Kali, Sweetheart...it's ok."

Those words seemed to break the dam holding back her emotions. She collapsed against him and cried, great heaving sobs that tore at his heart. He said nothing, simply held her and rubbed her back in circles. Her sobs came unabated for over ten minutes, and even when they slowed, then stopped, she clung to him like he was a life preserver in a storm-tossed sea. Finally, she loosened her hold on him, and looked up at him, embarrassed, her face red and her chocolate eyes glistening with tears. He smiled down at her.

"You're beautiful, did you know that?"

The tears spilled over, and she smiled a watery smile.

"How is it you always seem to know what I need to hear from you?"

_'Because I'm in love with you!'_, he wanted to shout, but didn't know if she was ready to hear that from him yet. Instead he simply shrugged and returned her smile.

"Just lucky, I guess. Come here."

He stood up, pulling her with him, and walked over to her sofa. Sitting down, he wrapped her in his arms and she snuggled against him. Before he could speak, she murmured into his chest.

"Come to the funeral with me."

He didn't even hesitate.

"Of course I will. I've already packed, so we can leave as soon as you're ready."

The next words from her surprised him, and she spoke them so softly he barely heard them.

"Don't ever let me go."

He kissed the top of her head.

"I don't plan to, Angel...not in a million years."

Kalinara's childhood home was nestled on the outskirts of Long Beach. As they materialized in front of the Price residence, Jett could see the red and black smokestacks of the 20th-century passenger liner _Queen Mary_ dominating the distant skyline. He'd visited the great vessel many times over, but seeing the famous vessel with his own eyes never failed to invoke his sense of pride and affection for maritime history.

He broke away from his reverie and followed Kalinara inside the main gate, carrying both their bags. They'd both chosen to wear civilian clothes, and had brought dress uniforms for the funeral. As they stepped inside the house, a large Rottweiler bounded in their direction, tail wagging furiously. Kalinara smiled widely as the dog approached and knelt down in greeting.

"Hello, Surak! How's my baby?"

Surak was apparently doing fine, as he bathed Kalinara's laughing face with his tongue, while she scratched his ears and ruffled his fur. Kalinara continued talking baby talk to the humongous animal.

"Did you miss Mommy? Yes, you did, didn't you? Well, Mommy missed you too! Yes, she did!"

Jett decided to speak up before Kalinara stopped petting the dog and it realized he was here and attempted to go for his throat.

"Is this a guard dog?"

She smiled up at him, still petting Surak.

"Hardly. He's so spoiled. Just let him sniff your hand."

Nervously, Jett knelt and extended his hand towards the dog's snout. The huge animal sniffed it, then licked it. The next thing Jett knew, Surak was trying to lick his face and welcoming him in the same manner as he'd given to Kalinara. Jett found himself propped against the door with an incredibly exuberant dog almost on top of him. Kalinara grabbed the animal's collar and pulled Surak away, laughing.

"You're fine, Captain. That means he likes you. To him, you're one of the family now."

Jett grinned up at her.

"Well, that's the important thing: the approval of the family dog."

She laughed as he got up and pulled her into his arms. Before he could say another word she reached up and pulled his lips down to hers. Not breaking the kiss, they managed to make it to the nearby sofa and sit down before their passion escalated. She leaned back, pulling him on top of her, their tongues dueling, as his hands snaked under her top. She moaned as he ran his hands up her ribcage; they felt like branding irons against her skin. He trailed kisses down her neck, and she arched her hips toward his as he nibbled on her earlobe.

Things would have been taken even farther if Surak hadn't decided they weren't paying enough attention to him, and tried to leap onto the sofa with them. The huge dog's attempt at getting attention was enough to break the mood, but neither of them minded.

Jett sat on the sofa, Kalinara curled into the crook of his left arm. They were both petting Surak, as the dog was sprawled out across both their laps and seemed to have no intention of moving anytime soon. Jett turned to the beautiful woman sitting next to him.

"I don't suppose he's going to move anytime soon? My legs are almost numb."

Kalinara giggled.

"I don't think so...he looks pretty comfortable."

No sooner had she finished saying that, then they heard the back door open and three sets of female voices enter the house. Surak heard them and immediately jumped off their laps and bounded into the kitchen. As he jumped down, one of his hind feet narrowly missed a sensitive part of Jett's anatomy. The couple rose to their feet and straightened their clothes before heading into the kitchen.

Jett let Kalinara precede him into the kitchen. They found a distinguished older woman talking with two teenage girls as they put down their school PADDs and excitedly told her about their day while at the same time trying to pet Surak. Kalinara spoke up, alerting them to their presence.

"Mother."

The three women turned at the sound of her voice, and both teenagers ran towards her excitedly.

"Kalinara! You're home!"

Kalinara hugged both her sisters before embracing her mother. Once Amanda Price had released her eldest daughter, she noticed Jett standing off to the side, letting them have their reunion.

"Kalinara, who's your friend?"

"Mother, Adriana, Marissa, this is my boyfriend Jett."

Jett's heart soared when she introduced him as 'my boyfriend'. Personally, he'd thought of her as his girlfriend for over two months, but hadn't voiced that opinion yet, as he had no idea how fast she'd wanted to move things. But now, after hearing her refer to him in that manner, he was getting a better idea. He was brought back to the present by Kalinara.

"Mother, where's Father?"

"He's at the Academy for an exercise. He'll be back tomorrow."

Kalinara's next question was more subdued.

"When is the funeral, Mother?"

"Tomorrow afternoon at 1500."

_'Oh good,'_ Jett thought. _'Her father will find out his eldest daughter's dating her Commanding Officer the same day he has to bury his mother...my good luck continues.'_ He smiled and shook the women's hands. Amanda Price seemed pleased that her daughter had met someone she felt so deeply for, while Kalinara's younger sisters swooned over the handsome young man with the southern accent.

The rest of the evening was spent with Kalinara's mother and sisters. Eventually, Amanda asked the question Jett was dreading.

"So how did you two meet?"

Jett was about to reply, but Kalinara spoke up first.

"We met at the _Zuikaku_'s commissioning ceremony. Our eyes met across the room and when we were introduced, we both knew right away."

They smiled tenderly at each other as Adriana and Marissa commented on how romantic the couple's first meeting was. _'That's one way of putting it,'_ Jett thought to himself. _'She just left out a couple things, that's all.'_ However, when he tore his gaze away from Kalinara for a moment, he caught Amanda's gaze. She smiled warmly at him, but there was a humorous glint in her eyes that said, _'I don't think that's all there is to it.'_.

Before she headed up to bed, Amanda opened up the sofa bed for Jett to sleep on, then headed upstairs, letting her daughter say goodnight in private. After several long, deep kisses, Kalinara headed upstairs as well, leaving Jett to lie down and stare at the ceiling, thoughts of how his career might very well end the next day running rampant through his mind.

Amanda Price rose early the next morning and headed downstairs to start breakfast. When the entire family was home, she always cooked instead of using the replicator. She knew Kalinara loved her homemade pancakes, and that's just what she planned to make. As she headed for the stairs, she noticed Kalinara's bedroom door was opened and the bed empty. When she reached the living room, she stopped and smiled.

Her eldest daughter lay on the sofa bed with her boyfriend, dead to the world, clinging to him like the jaws of life even in her sleep. Surak took up the foot of the bed, also deeply asleep. Jett lay awake, stroking Kalinara's hair and rubbing her back. When he noticed Amanda watching them, he smiled sheepishly. Amanda said nothing, just passed by him and went into the kitchen. He gently extricated himself from Kalinara's grip, slipped out of bed, pulled on some lounge pants and a t-shirt, and padded into the kitchen. He greeted Amanda, speaking softly so as not to awaken Kalinara.

"Mrs. Price, I apologize for you finding us like that. Believe me, I had every intention of staying down here alone the entire night, but she and the dog joined me about 0200. She'd had a nightmare, and to be honest we've kind of gotten used to falling asleep together. Please believe me when I say that sleeping is all that went on last night."

Amanda smiled.

"I believe you, and I could see she'd had a rough night. She seems really happy with you."

Jett smiled in return.

"I know I'm happiest when I'm with her. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Amanda shook her head.

"Not a thing. Just sit there and tell me about yourself."

He proceeded to tell her about himself and his family as best he could without revealing he was in Starfleet. He paused to take a sip of orange juice and was about to continue when Amanda stopped him.

"I need to ask you this before everyone else gets up. I noticed last night when I asked how you two met that you were somewhat nervous. Is there something you and Kalinara don't want me to know?"

_'Uh-oh,'_ Jett thought. _'Here it comes.'_

_'Then again,'_ one of the voices said, _'maybe if you tell her, you'll have an ally when her father finds out.'_

Jett smiled nervously.

"Well, since you were going to find out before we left for the funeral anyway, I don't see any harm in telling you a little earlier. I'm in Starfleet."

Amanda smiled.

"What's so bad about that?"

Jett sipped his orange juice, wishing right at that particular moment that it was laced with vodka.

"I'm a Captain. I'm also Kalinara's Commanding Officer."

"I still don't see the problem. Admiral Picard is married to the _Enterprise_'s Chief Medical Officer, the_ Enterprise_'s Captain Riker is married to his ship's Counselor, and Admiral Janeway appears quite happy with _Voyager_'s Captain Chakotay. You wouldn't be the first Starfleet couple to carry on a romance aboard the same ship."

"Maybe so," Jett replied. "But that's not really what I'm worried about. I'm more concerned about what your husband will say about Kali and I. The moment he sees us both in uniform and me with four pips on my collar and I'm holding Kali's hand and being affectionate with her, I'm afraid he'll hit the roof and both our careers will be over."

"Nonsense," came the reply. "Bill may be old Starfleet, but his family comes before anything else. I think once he sees how happy you two are together, and especially how well you treat Kalinara, he'll overlook your positions."

When Jett still seemed doubtful, she added, "And if someone else tries to make trouble with your careers, he's a Fleet Admiral. That alone carries a lot of weight."

Jett smiled.

"I appreciate that, ma'am. I'm still nervous about his initial reaction."

Amanda smiled. Her daughter had certainly found someone special.

"Well still, I wouldn't worry too much about it. The rest of the family likes you, and Kalinara and her sisters have got their father wrapped around their little fingers. He'll back off once they give him that certain look."

Jett continued, not noticing Kalinara had awakened and was standing behind him.

"I hope so, ma'am. But if it came down to choosing between her and Starfleet, she'd win out, no question. These past few months have proven two things clear as day: One, that your daughter is as fine an officer as I could ever hope to serve with, and Two, I'm so in love with her it's not funny."

At that moment, Surak chose to make his presence known, and as Jett reached down to pet him, he noticed Kalinara standing there. Before he could say anything, she spoke, her voice emotionless.

"Captain, may I see you in the living room for a moment?"

Jett nodded, realizing that she'd heard every word he'd said. He now feared that he'd said too much too fast, and blown his chances altogether. Once they were alone, he spoke nervously.

"Kali, I - "

Whatever he was going to say was cut off by her lips in a passionate kiss. He moaned as she entwined her arms about his neck and pressed her body into his, her tongue seeking entrance to his mouth. They parted only when the need for air became too great to ignore.

He smiled at her.

"Good morning to you, too."

She graced him with her dazzling smile, and he could see tears in the corners of her eyes.

"You'd give up Starfleet to be with me?"

He decided to hold nothing back.

"In a heartbeat."

"Why?"

"I'm madly in love with you."

The tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. He reached out to thumb them away and she caught his hands and grasped them in hers.

"You're in love with me?"

He nodded.

"Yes, Sweetheart, I am. Hopelessly and deeply. I hope that's all right."

Her smile grew wider.

"Only if I can love you back just as much."

Jett laughed. He couldn't believe it...she was the most incredible woman in the galaxy and she was in love with him.

"Permission granted, Commander."

She prevented him from saying anything else with another earth-shattering kiss.


End file.
